Calhoun County Fair is Affordable, "Classic Americana" Fun for Families to Enjoy
From tractor pulls to carnivals to pageants, the fair promises a fun weekend from Sept. 4 through 7, 2025.
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HARDIN - The Calhoun County Fair promises a fun weekend of carnivals, pageants, tractor pulls and more fun, all with the goal of benefiting the Calhoun County community.
Patrick Simon, president of the Calhoun County Fair Association, noted that the fair is a chance to bring families together and celebrate the county. He expressed his excitement to share the family-friendly fair atmosphere with residents of Calhoun County and beyond.
“The Calhoun County Fair is the classic Midwestern American fair,” Simon said. “I feel like the county of 5,000 people grows to 10 or 15,000 when you get all of those people together. It is the classic Americana fair. Our motto at the Fair Association is to provide safe, affordable family fun, and that’s what we’ve really tried to do this year.”
The fair kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025, with a talent show at 7 p.m. and a 7:30 p.m. concert featuring Nashville headliner Jake Maurer and an opening performance by Cash Goetten. Simon looks forward to watching the kids compete in the talent show.
“Little old Calhoun, we have some talent hidden up here in the bluffs,” he laughed. “If you really want to see some of our local talent, this is the event to come to and cheer on and encourage these kids. This is the event to come to because you really do get to see some unique talent.”
This will be followed by the Illinois Farm Pullers Truck Pull and the Jr. Miss Calhoun Pageant at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5. Simon said this truck pull is “more authentic” for the “tractor purists” who want to see the antique tractors, and he looks forward to watching the show.
From 12–4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, it’s Ag/Family Day at the fair, with plenty of free activities for kids and families to enjoy. Bounce houses, face-painting, caricatures, touch-a-truck and more fun will be available throughout the afternoon. There will also be a Junior Olympics competition and a “very cute” pedal pull for younger kids.
Seniors enter the fair for free from 12–4 p.m. on Saturday. The Little Miss Calhoun Pageant starts at 5 p.m., followed by the ITPA Tractor Pull at 7 p.m.
On Sunday, Sept. 7, the Calhoun County Fair Parade will kick off at 12 p.m. A demolition derby starts at 2 p.m., and the main Miss Calhoun County Pageant is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Additionally, there will be several 4-H exhibits, livestock showing opportunities, and a carnival throughout the weekend. For a full schedule of everything happening at the Calhoun County Fair, visit their official website at CalhounFair.net.
This year’s fair theme — “Harvesting Two Centuries of Stories” — is centered around the bicentennial of Calhoun County.
“We really wanted to focus on having a celebration that celebrated the county and 200 years of culture and heritage and history,” Simon explained. “The fair, of course, is about agriculture. That’s always the main highlight. But it also highlights local artisans and artists and all the different things that make Calhoun County unique.”
Simon added that he has attended the fair every year since he was born, and he is proud to carry on the legacy of the fair and share that with the community. He thanked the sponsors and “dozens and dozens of volunteers” who make this possible.
For more information about the fair or how to participate as a vendor or livestock competitor, visit the official Calhoun County Fair Facebook page, the official Calhoun County Fair website, or call the Fair Association at (618) 576-2312.
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